Clock ticking on Cowboys' available time to learn Rob Ryan's defense

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Vernon Bryant / Staff Photographer

Rob Ryan's (left) defense features a number of disguised coverages, blitzes and idiosyncratic elements - many of which the Cowboys have yet to master because the NFL's work stoppage has created enormous obstacles.

History says mastering Ryan’s defense takes time

Eyes lit up and a smile took shape. The excitement was palpable in his voice. As he prattled on about the system the Cowboys will operate this season under new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, reserve outside linebacker Victor Butler could hardly contain his enthusiasm.

“I’m super excited,” he said Tuesday.

He’s not alone. In the dead of winter, when the Cowboys were only six weeks removed from a disappointing 6-10 season that cost coach Wade Phillips his job, secondary coach Dave Campo had a similar reaction when the conversation turned to Ryan’s master plan. Almost on cue, a wide grin creased his face.

“It kind of rejuvenates me,” he said. “When you do something new, it juices you back up.”

As the NFL has receded into dormancy during the lockout, Ryan’s unconventional methodology has become an object of fascination among Cowboys fans, players and coaches. They eagerly anticipate movement before the snap, unusual alignments, aggressive tactics and unorthodox personnel decisions.

It’s also a departure from a bygone era, when the Cowboys, according to Campo, “were pretty simple in the early-90s and were pretty simple with Wade.”

In contrast, Ryan’s defense is more involved. It features a number of disguised coverages, blitzes and idiosyncratic elements — many of which the Cowboys have yet to master because the NFL’s work stoppage has created enormous obstacles. Forbidden per the terms of the lockout from maintaining contact with Ryan, who was hired Jan. 19, the players have also been denied the opportunity to participate in organized team activities and minicamps where teaching is conducted.

Although players attended a series of cram sessions before the lockout began in March, Butler said they have only a fundamental grasp of Ryan’s system. In fact, they struggled to make sense of certain concepts during player-run workouts in May, when they were carrying out written instructions.

With Ryan unavailable to provide answers, the defenders could be left in the dark until a collective bargaining agreement is finalized. And by then, it would appear too late for Ryan to expect the players to execute the most comprehensive version of his defense.

But Warren Sapp, an NFL Network analyst who played for Ryan during four seasons in Oakland, disagrees with that assumption. He points to the fact that the Cowboys’ 2010 starters have an average of 6.4 years of service in the NFL. Because there is a wealth of experience on the roster, Sapp asserted that Ryan can install his system in “a good 14 days, twice a day, morning, noon and night with curfew.

“Yeah, he can get it done,” Sapp added. “I wouldn’t say Rob’s defense is complex. I would say it has a bunch of moving parts. It’s a trust system, and you have to get players on the same page. And there’s nothing that gets it done like time. But one thing I’ve learned about us defenders, it don’t take us long to get ready.”

Yet Ryan’s track record suggests that there will be an initial adjustment period accompanied by major growing pains. In 2004, during Ryan’s first season in Oakland, the Raiders’ defense was ranked 30th in the NFL. Five years later, when Ryan began his tenure in Cleveland, only one team — the Detroit Lions — surrendered more yards per game than the Browns did.

The numbers paint a stark picture, but those who have worked with Ryan said it’s unrealistic to expect he will run a basic variation of his defense in fear that his players won’t be able to grasp the more advanced principles.

“If an atom bomb hit Jerry World, I think he would still be aggressive,” said Pat Jones, who served as a linebackers coach under Ryan from 2004-2005. “I think Rob ultimately will cut it loose anyhow. He’s got a good grasp of what it takes to win.”

That’s why players such as Butler remain optimistic that despite the obstacles created by the lockout Ryan can immediately resurrect a defense that was among the worst in the NFL last year. For that reason, Butler can’t wait to get started.

“Nobody hopes for OTAs,” Butler said. “But I was hoping for OTAs so we can get in this defense and run this defense.”

For now, though, Butler and the rest of the Cowboys can only talk about it. And judging by their words, they expect Ryan to make an immediate impact once the labor dispute is resolved.

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